Thank You, Dr. George Tiller and Eric Holder

A few minutes ago, I went to Kansas.com to read about the preparations for George Tiller's funeral. I've been very concerned for the family that a bunch of wingnuts would show up and try to disrupt the funeral service or block people for paying their respects. One wingnut is there already, but he is not protesting Dr. Tiller's life as much as he is supporting Operation Rescue and the fundies.

Fortunately, the US Marshals are there, along with the Wichita Police for security. The funeral service is at 10am. The American Legion came to honor Dr. Tiller's service in the military. Seems fitting given it is D-Day's 65th anniversary.

I will give an update later when I find more news, but for now, may the service go well. He's earned his final rest, and his family deserves to honor his memory. According to Kansas.com, Wendy Anderson, spokeswoman for Tiller family, just distributed written copies of this statement:

"Family, friends and colleagues have come together to celebrate the life of a devoted humanitarian and loving father, grandfather and husband, George R. Tiller, M.D. People are here today from across the country to celebrate and honor the life of a man who wholeheartedly dedicated his life to kindness, courtesy, justice, love and respect."

I'm praying for peace and for Dr. Tiller's family. It's horrible what they went through, all for women's health services.

Thank you Eric Holder, our national AG, for providing more security requested by the family.


Update: NOW has 25 women standing strong for the family in front of the Church. (photo courtesy of Kansas.com)

My note in the virtual guestbook for the family:

May Dr. Tiller's family find peace and strength during a time of shadows. You can be proud of Dr. Tiller's accomplishments, especially as a family man. You knew his passion for saving women's lives. You knew him as a person of faith. I wish you well as you go through your grief for his loss. Indeed, we are all saddened by his loss, but yours is more than ours. You knew him better than nearly all of us.

And for Dr. Tiller also, Mahler's #2, Resurrection, last movement:

Thank you John Edwards and Hillary Clinton (updated)

Your candidacies for the White House will push Barack Obama to be more engaged and progressive on the issues.







Universal Health Care and getting us out Iraq number one priorities for this blogger. Also, creating opportunities for all of us and making our fellow citizens have the same opportunities you had. You both have truly been blessed.

It will be awhile before I will turn the page, but I do think we need a Democrat in the WH and better progressives in the House and Senate, which is why I will put my focus on them rather the Presidency.

Hillary, you were the runner-up, and I'm posting a video that someone did on your behalf, "This One's for the Girls"



Link to the transcript of Hillary's endorsement event, courtesy of WaPo.

Congratulations, John and Hillary. Your passion for our country is contagious.

Elizabeth Edwards Honored by Glamour Magazine

Elizabeth Edwards was in NYC Monday night in an event hosted by Glamour magazine as one of the Role Models for Women of the Year. I would have never thought Glamour would admire anyone but skinny models or movie stars.

Elizabeth was honored as "Mother, Campaigner, Cancer patient". Shelia Weller wrote this about Elizabeth:

Despite her illness, Elizabeth continues to be an outspoken political spouse, whether or not her husband’s staffers agree with her. And in the process she has rewritten campaign conventional wisdom. In a presidential election with a woman and an African American in the running, she’s the one breaking the rules, chewing out Ann Coulter on MSNBC’s Hardball for her personal attacks (“Hatred should not be a political strategy,” Elizabeth insists), and disagreeing with John on big issues (she’s for gay marriage; he’s not). The result: Americans love her, and in some not-small way she’s helped unite us during this polarized time.

Fellow blogger Aldon Hynes made this observation about the event at the Daily Kos:

It is great to see joy and purpose brought to the political stage. It is great to see fighting bravely against cancer as glamorous. It is great to see standing up for what you believe as glamorous. It gives me hope that our media and our country isn't as completely screwed up as I sometimes think.

Amen, Aldon.

Elizabeth Edwards and Kate Michelman Team Up In Iowa

This just in from the Des Moines Register:

Edwards and Kate Michelman, former leader of NARAL Pro-Choice America, spoke to the Iowa City crowd about "issues important to women." Among the topics: workplace equality, health care, global warming, abortion and stem cell research.

"I'm doing this campaign for two reasons," Edwards said. "John needs to be president. The second reason is that I know he will be president."

Michelman, a longtime women's rights advocate, defended her decision to campaign for John Edwards instead of Clinton.

"This was one of the most important political decisions I've made in my life," she said. "I was one of those poor single moms with no job and no health care. I was on welfare.

"John Edwards is the one and only person who has made it his mission to pull these women up."

We also have a report by Runaway Rose, who saw the duo last night in Davenport:

"What would be her big project as First Lady? (Family comes first, with young kids! In addition, set up a mechanism to help military famiilies, who often feel they dare not complain. [THAT got my sister's attention, she's ex-Army herself.] Support medical research in general and breast cancer awareness. Educational opportunities for ALL children.)

How about educational opportunity? (Early childhood help, more equality of funding accross school districts, change NCLB from punitive to remedial, more attention to trade training and unions, college for all) ("This country was made great by people who work with their hands - it was not made great by investment bankers.") My sister is in college and has children in college; she was strongly interested in this discussion.

So to this blogger, Elizabeth and Kate raised quite a few points about women's issues. I suspect Mrs. Clinton will be discussing them again now that Elizabeth said that her husband is more vocal about women's issues. But I would like to know why Mrs. Clinton allowed the burning of tires by International Paper, as I reported at Taylor Marsh yesterday. That's not looking after women and children.

John Edwards on Women's Issues in Iowa

Worth watching, Attorney Roxanne Conlin introduces JRE (only her voice is heard), I have met her and she is good to her core in her pursuit of justice, not only for people, but for animals as well. Great quote from the speech:

"If we really want to empower women in this country, if we want to give force to the women's movement in this country, then we want women to have self-esteem, and strength, and respect, and they can't continue to not have health care coverage, or live in poverty, or get paid $.77 on the dollar for doing the same work men are doing. That's not right!"

John Edwards recently started a website called "Women for Edwards." Check it out.